When Government Knows Best

"Weeds, glass, bricks, pieces of pipe and shingle splinters have replaced the knot of aging homes....There are a few signs of life: Feral cats glare at visitors from a miniature jungle of Queen Anne's lace, thistle and goldenrod. Gulls swoop between the lot's towering trees and the adjacent sewage treatment plant."

Is this a description of some blighted neighborhood in need of a government solution?

Guess again.

This is Katie Nelson's description of the property made infamous in the Kelo Decision by the US Supreme Court in her AP story.  You know, that property that had those tacky little middle class homes that government seized using eminent domain.

In case you forgot here is Susette Kelo's home that was siezed to build "multimillion-dollar private development that included residential, hotel conference, research and development space and a new state park that would complement a new $350 million Pfizer pharmaceutical research facility."



Yet one more example of government's success at steering markets and picking economic winners.

But hang onto your hats.  The government is about to get a lot more involved in the economy, particularly the entrepreneurial sector of the economy.  From Bloomberg:

The U.S. Commerce Department is setting up an office intended to help entrepreneurs transform ideas into companies.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said his department will help fledgling business owners get training, credit and access to government research, in a bid to encourage the "right kind" of risks by business leaders....

The office for entrepreneurship and innovation will be set up under Locke's direction, and will coordinate efforts across the government to help those starting new businesses. The Commerce Department will also establish an outside advisory panel made up of company owners, investors and officials.

I am sure the lobbyists are streaming from K Street to the Commerce Department to help "shape" how the government will be "shaping" entrepreneurship in the U.S.  I can't wait to see who gets a seat at that advisory panel table....